Nowadays, more and more parents prefer to educate their children at home. Educating a child at home requires a great deal of planning and commitment. If you are thinking of homeschooling your toddler, you have to study the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling for children before taking the plunge. To help you decide, here are some pros and cons of homeschooling.

Advantages of Homeschooling For Children

One-on-one Attention

One of the biggest advantages of homeschooling for children is the teacher’s ability to give one-on-one attention to the toddler. Because the teacher (you) is only dealing with one student, you are able to teach your toddler with a lot of patience and use a particular method to specifically teach the child (personalized teaching) to suit your toddler’s pace, understanding and needs. This will help you know exactly what your toddler is learning at school and how well your toddler is progressing.

Increases Quality Time

A homeschooled child gets to spend plenty of quality time with his parents. The child no longer has to follow a schedule so the parents can spend as much time with their toddler whenever they want to. The amount of time spent together helps both the parent and toddler build a stronger parent and child bond or relationship with each other.

Flexible Time

You can plan vacations whenever you wish. You do not have to wait till summer or winter breaks. You can also organize a fieldtrip for your toddler whenever you want to. Your toddler no longer has to wake up early in the morning to prepare for school which is a very common problem for children who go to regular schools. In addition, classes can begin later in the day when your child is well rested and ready to learn. Also, school days are shorter. Oftentimes, it only takes a few hours to finish a week’s lesson giving your toddler enough time to complete a number of activities, eliminating homework.

Boosts A Toddler’s Personality

A homeschooled child does not have to deal with peer pressure or bullies. He is not under any kind of stress and is more regular at partaking in community activities. If problems arise, you are automatically there for your toddler to guide and support him. All these things help a child grow into a happy and confident individual.

Disadvantages of Homeschooling For Children

Reduces Social Interaction

Interaction is very important especially for a growing toddler. A homeschooled toddler might have limited opportunities to socialize with other children from different backgrounds which can be a big problem in the future.

Risk of Becoming Dependent

Another disadvantage of homeschooling for children is that it does not allow them to face challenges, they depend on their parents to resolve a problem. For example, a toddler who goes to school is able to handle rejection better in case he is not able to make it to the soccer team while a toddler who is homeschooled might be easily in distraught if he faces a problem because he does not know how to cope with difficult situations.

Time Consuming

One disadvantage of homeschooling for children is that it is time consuming especially if the parent has to work. You are in charge of planning your toddler’s lessons, educational trips, daily activities and so on. There is a tendency for the parent to have a hard time focusing on the toddler’s education since the parent has to balance a career.

Costly

Resources for homeschooling can be costly. Parents can spend more money on their child’s education than they are accustomed to. Most often, you have to borrow materials from other children who are homeschooled or rely on the internet for free homeschooling resources.

As you can see, there are various advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling for children. Consider the needs of your toddler first before making the important decision to homeschool your child.

The decision to educate your toddler in a home setting depends on the family’s lifestyle and your toddler’s personality. Home schooling is a great way to bring out the best potentials of your little one. Thus, knowing which type of home school program suits your toddler the most is imperative.

There are various home school programs you can choose from. You can either select a single curriculum or combine two or more programs to further maximize your toddler’s development.

Calvert Home School Curriculum

Offered from kindergarten until grade 8, Calvert offers an excellent introduction which helps children nourish their education especially in the academic aspect. It is a home school program that is designed to deliver traditional yet modern teaching techniques which benefits toddlers regardless of their geographic location. Calvert is one of the most flexible home school programs that can adapt to any toddler’s specific needs. Its primary focus is on honing your child’s arithmetic, reading and writing. Once your toddler has mastered these 3, he can move on to study arts, history, music and science. Hence, he becomes physically, intellectually and psychologically ready by the time he starts grade 9.

Center For Learning

One of the most popular home schooling programs is the Center For Learning. This curriculum is available whether your little one is enrolled in a parochial, private or public home school from kindergarten until grade 12. It offers an excellent learning material that predominantly focuses on honing your toddler’s Language Arts, English, Drama and Social Studies skills. Religious materials are provided as well. This home school program is set-up as a conventional home education system with the added benefit of getting print and online classes.

The teachers are well-experienced. They can accommodate you and your toddler’s queries at any given time. Plus, a wide range of resources and different ideas of class execution (drawing exercises, audio lessons, online assignments, science projects, etc.) are available so you can be sure your little one will is well entertained throughout the course.

Charlotte Mason

Charlotte Mason concentrates on 3 points – atmosphere, discipline and life. Education by atmosphere is the home setting of a toddler. Education by discipline is the implementation of good moral habits. Education by life is the academic aspect of a toddler with a strong emphasis on topics like English, Fine Arts, Literature, Music, Poetry and Reading. Method of learning is by having a toddler read something and then give an outline of what he has read using his own words.

Curriculum Associates

Publishes decisive and flexible learning materials that are based on a regular school’s curriculum. It has a computerized coach that can automatically identify the needs of every student and deliver more precise instructions. Focuses on arts, language, math and reading. For every lesson plan completed, your toddler is given a test preparation kit to help him prepare for his assessment exam via a diagnostic online test. With this modern program, you can track your toddler’s performance instantly. Curriculum Associates’ home school program also offers special education to children with special needs.

K12

K12 is an online public and private home school directed to suit the lifestyle of most American families. It is one of the largest sources of home based education that is tailored to fit each toddler’s needs and wants from kindergarten to grade 12. K12 has a 24-hour assistance feature and a combined online interactive learning and offline hands-on activities making it an award winning home school curriculum.

Montessori Home School Program

This type of home school curriculum is suitable for toddlers between ages 3 to 6. It is a good illustration of showing what life is. It uses the Montessori methodology and philosophy that is patterned to increase your toddler’s overall growth – his cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development. Rather than focusing on specific areas of academic learning, it teaches general life skills that are very valuable in helping students adapt, adjust and succeed in a world that is rapidly changing. Montessori program offers your toddler not just learning materials but a support group which helps him build a strong foundation throughout his kindergarten to preschool years.

Saxon

Saxon curriculum is centered on early learning like math and physics. It provides very detailed educational materials specifically in Math. Saxon home school program is recommended for parents who prefer their toddlers to excel in this field as it offers a step-by-step program – from instructions, to training, down to assessment which ensures retention of indispensable math skills.

As a parent, you only want to provide your toddler the best especially when it comes to his education. Quality is the number one factor you need to look for in a school. Because of their outstanding benefits, online home schooling has become the number one choice of parents. But, the question still remains. Can online home schooling fully optimize a toddler’s potential?

Yes, online home schooling is an effective means of educating toddlers. With a variety of teaching styles and courses available, parents can surely find a curriculum that fits well into their toddler’s lifestyle. Because learning is done in the comforts of your home, your toddler will be able to easily adapt and adjust to the changes as compared to a regular school. Here are some ways how online home schooling helps toddlers with their education:

It Blends With Your Toddler’s Lifestyle

If your toddler learns best in a home setting, online home schooling helps him focus and maximize his capabilities. Just like a regular school, an online school has a certain curriculum students need to follow. The only difference is that it is a residential and technology based scholastic program. The online school’s program adjusts with your child’s learning style instead of your toddler adapting to the curriculum. Your toddler gets maximum education at a time that is convenient for him. Hence, the flexible and structured curriculum meets his needs and wants.

Help Is Always Available

Since online home school is done through the internet, your toddler’s online teachers and the staff are always available. If in case your little one has trouble understanding a certain topic, an assigned teacher can easily assist him. Or, there are pointers outlined in the online home school’s website which your toddler can easily refer to for guidance.

More Lessons Are Accomplished

Online homeschooling adapts with your toddler’s preferred learning style. Plus, it offers various teaching techniques. Your toddler is able to give 100% of his attention which results to a speedier accomplishment of lessons. What typically takes up a week for a regular classroom to discuss, online home school can complete in just a few hours.

Uses More Attention Grabbing Learning Materials

Online home schooling does not rely on blackboards and endless lectures. Instead, it provides a hands-on experience for your toddler. There are audio books which helps him easily identify the numbers, colors and shapes. Taped language lessons allow him to follow the recorded voice making it effortless for him to pronounce words correctly. Colorful online activities are given which makes it easier for your little one to solve simple math problems. Even science projects are given.

Easy Lesson Retention

Your toddler can participate in online discussions that provide him extra information about certain topics. He gets to rehearse and relay all his learning’s with other online home schooled students as well. This allows him to retain all his leaning’s which efficiently helps him study, finish his homework and readings. Because lessons are easy to remember, he will no longer have a hard time answering his tests.

With the choices available, online home schooling is able to accommodate your toddler’s preferences. He gets the best quality education outside the classroom sans the pressure.

School for children consists of a uniform, classmates, teachers, canteen and the playground. But, what if your toddler is being home schooled? Will your little one still be able to get the same education? Can he balance learning and play with all the free time he has? Yes, indeed he can. By having a method and using the right techniques, you can ensure your toddler gets the best education and even more.

Homeschooling children is very different from going to a regular school. For parents, it is not an easy decision to make. It may or may not suit the family. But, if your toddler needs special care or you feel being home schooled is best for your little one, making it work is easy. To help you out, here are some tips gathered from moms whose kids are home schooled as well.

Be Ready

Before starting off homeschooling your child, first, you need to prepare yourself. This is a big role and a huge responsibility to take. Realize that what is most important is for your toddler to get the best education he deserves. Second, as your little one’s teacher, being capable in handling his problems and in giving lessons is necessary. Homeschooling your toddler is like a full-time job. You need to be 100% free from any commitment to make sure you can give all your attention. Third, you need to mold it into your family’s lifestyle to help avoid any conflict.

Next, you need to know the legalities of homeschooling. Figure out what your state requires, what the rules are about homeschooling. Determine if you need to register yourself as a private school. Check if your state obliges you to take tests to gauge how capable you are.

Determine The Best Learning Style of Your Toddler

To help you recognize the best home school teaching method for your toddler, recognize your toddler’s needs as well as his strong and weak points. Here are some examples of home school teaching styles:

Complete Online Curriculum Package. Best for parents and toddlers who are still new to homeschooling. The package contains books, activities, reviewers, test papers and a teaching guide. Packages may also require you to e-mail your toddler’s work to an assigned teacher who will correct and grade your toddler’s work.

Charlotte Mason. This teaching style lets your toddler learn by narration or telling back what he has learned. You use the best books, art and music as your teaching aid. Charlotte Mason has a unique style in educating your little one how to correctly pronounce and spell words. Tests are done through an essay-style examination.

Montessori. Focuses on immersion of different cultures. More of an experimental learning instead of the standard classroom teaching approach. Hands-on activities are used in teaching toddlers which is good in helping toddlers retain their learning’s.

Waldorf. Focuses on the overall development of your toddler by using the head, hands and heart. Boosts your toddler’s artistic, mental and spiritual skills.

Collect School Materials

Just like in a regular school, you need to have all his learning essentials ready. Buy books about different topics, read along Cd’s and a headphone. Papers, pencils, scissors, crayons, coloring books, blank canvases, paint, clay dough, flash cards, puzzles and blocks. To add formality, have a medium-sized blackboard hanged in the wall, a table and a chair so he feels comfortable.

Have Variety

Test papers, recitations and reading exercises can be boring for your toddler. Look for hands-on activities. A science project, cooking or gardening lessons or even hosting a field trip will help your toddler enjoy. Or, you can also hold an outdoor class. Use his favorite toys as school materials. These are excellent tools to make him easily understand his lessons. Plus, this will keep him interested.

Do Not Eliminate Playtime

Since he is home schooled, your toddler’s time depends on your hands. Do not consume all of his time learning new lessons. Have break time’s in between classes. Let him eat his snacks. Allow him to take a nap in the middle of the day. After his lessons, let him play outside. This prevents your toddler from shying away from his peers and from becoming a loner. During weekends, spend the day out. He needs as much social interaction he can get. Lastly, at the end of each day, talk to him as a parent not as a teacher. In this way, you give him breathing room to relax and enjoy.